Saving His Can
by PeechTao
Summary: This is my spin on Cain going to retrieve Zero after the eclipse and things going horribly wrong. Captured by the long coats can he save himself and the kingdom? Full of parties, drinking, glitching, gun shot wounds and pain. Final chapter up!
1. Prelude

Now, just understand this is one of those whirlwind books i just started like, yesterday and now its finished. omg. Someone shoot me for it!

I love pain. so this is my shoot-em-up Cain fic. hope you like it!

Own nothing. so sad.

**Saving His Can**

**Prelude**

He smiled, but he wasn't sure why. Something in his mind made him grin slightly. Maybe it was something Jeb had told him. Or Glitch. But he smiled. Of course this didn't make his captor terribly happy. So he caught another slugger in the Jaw. He spit the phlegmy-blood onto Zero's boots and laughed again. The next punch had him nearly blacked out, until Dirk shook him back to life.

"You hit like DG." Cain told him, nearly unaffected.

Zero pulled an arm back and really whacked him from the bottom of his jaw to the top. Cain felt his teeth loosen as they smashed against each other. His mouth drooled blood as his nose leaked down his face. His right eye was swollen shut, his left was tainted in red tears as he watched Zero pull back again. He took his chance and yanked his arms free of Dirk, lunging forward and clamping his hand over Zero's throat he pulled the gun they forgot to take from him. Using the leverage of the surprised Zero, Cain pulled himself up from his knees and put the long coat in a half nelson. His gun was at Zero's temple in a heartbeat.

"Drop it." Cain told Dirk and the third long coat, Clout.

Both guns hit the ground.

Cain smiled. He knew he wasn't walking away from this. Not with a whole slew of others waiting to gun him down. But if he could just get the upper hand in this, right here, he would be satisfied. He didn't even make to run. He just pressed that gun harder into Zero's head and pulled the trigger.

Zero's body shook with the resulting click.

Clout pulled his sidearm and shot Cain down.

After a tense moment, Zero finally was himself enough to turn and run his boot into Cain's sporting new gunshot wound. "You out of bullets there, Cain?" He asked, his laugh echoing in the lone dark room.

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now this is small part 1 of what will be ten/elevenish chapters. hope you like!

Please, for my own sanity, review!


	2. Chapter 1

yeah, freakishly short chapters, sorry!!

**Saving His Tin**

**Chapter 1**

"I don't care what it looks like, Princess, get your royal tail out here!"

"No!"

"Do I have to come in there?"

"No, don't!"

Cain rolled his eyes. Across from him Glitch was snickering.

"Don't start with me, Glitch." Cain warned him, pointing a finger in his direction.

"Oh, come on, Cain, have a heart!" Glitch elbowed him in the side. "Not Princess two weeks and you've got her squeezing into the fancy things already. There are other things we could be doing you know."

Cain's eye brow went up. He'd been through this talk enough in the three plus hours he'd been pacing, waiting for DG to finish with the royal dresser. He couldn't figure what was taking so long. It wasn't like she had a say in what she was wearing, the Queen had picked everything out already and heavens help her if she wanted to change it. "No, no, we are not having this conversation again. I've got orders to get _**her highness**_ to dinner and that is final. No long coats, no racing all over the OZ. Not today. Not now." At the mention of DG he walked to the door and shouted the words, hoping to make some sort of impression. He didn't and he threw his hands up in dismay. "I mean, for pity's sake, Deeg, can you hurry up, now you're going to be late."

"I'm not going!"

Cain was ready to throw his hat. "All right, forget it. Do what you want. I'm going to the dinner, to meet _**your **_mother by myself. I'll just tell her and _**your**_ sister _**you **_don't feel like coming. Then I'm taking Jeb and the two of us are going to fight the long coats, _**alone**_, without you, and probably get ourselves killed. Is that what you want to hear?" On not receiving an answer he gave a final look to Glitch and headed down the hall.

Glitch returned a sympathetic look, though he wasn't sure who he was sympathetic to at this point. He made to say something to DG, but the words died in his throat, so he padded away quietly after Cain.

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have you reviewed yet??


	3. Chapter 2

**Saving His Can  
**

**Chapter 2**

The doors to the large banquet hall opened. DG strode in, braving her outrageous dress.

Cain sunk into his chair and slapped a hand to his forehead. The dress was so embarrassing, he didn't even want to make fun of DG for putting it on. That was a new one for him.

DG sat next to him, her face bright red with resentment. "One crack . . ."

Cain looked at the purple sequin, blue feathers, and green fabric and lace. "I am not one to go that low."

DG put her head in her hands. "This is worse than the day my . . . robot Dad . . . declared to the entire school that I'd been potty-trained!"

Cain gave a small chuckle. "He did that?"

"I don't want to talk about it!"

As he consoled DG, Glitch was complimenting on her dress.

"Don't make it worse than it already is." She said glaring at Glitch. "This is a nightmare. I'm a Princess aren't I? I'm firing that dress maker."

Cain couldn't keep back his smile. Sure he felt bad for her, but DG could use a knock off her pedestal once and a while now. All royalty, no matter how caring could get a little too wrapped up in themselves. This being so, it bothered him little to mention the fact the dress maker was a former slave of Azkadellia, working to please the new regime in hopes of feeding is three starving kids after his wife was killed.

DG was drop-jawed for a moment before she seemed to roll her tongue back into her mouth enough for something to the affect of her showing him a thing or two about good fashion sense. The Queen for her part hid a smile behind her glass and spent the evening quietly enjoying the presence of friends and family finely reunited after so long spread across the OZ and beyond. She made a speech or two in thanks for those of the Resistance and smiled constantly and DG and Az in their turn. Ahamo even received his dew attention as rightful king and spent the evening feasting, drinking and combing his fingers through the locks of his darling wife's hair. To him, all was as it should be, regardless of the various states of riffraff dinning in the hall with him. He had to admit, the underlings of the OZ had really pulled together on this one. Why should they be banned from the banquet? He couldn't find a valid reason, regardless that the Queen had given him some incredulous looks on more than a singular occasion.

Cain was sure at one point in particular he was going to have to drawl his gun. An obviously drunk character from some underground world or other stumbled over to the royal table, fumbling in his pocket for something he wished to give the Queen. She seemed nervous, Ahamo was almost too his feet and as a shiny sort of object found its way into the scruffy-man's hand Cain was fully inclined to lay the man at his grave.

Only by the hand of DG did his gun not drawl and the drunk was allowed to produce a brilliant sort of silver sparrow he had crafted at his shop in Central City. After much scrutiny it was pronounced that Ahamo did indeed know the man, though in a less shambled state, and the moment was laughed off as high strung nerves.

Jeb looked at his father and laughed.

"What?" Cain asked.

"You. Can't you relax for a bit? I am, so is Raw, and Glitch. Can you ever stop being a Tin Man?"

Cain sat back and shrugged. "Jeb, the day I stop being a Tin Man is the day I die. It's just how it is."

Jeb nodded. "Yeah, well it would help propriety a little if your hat wasn't still on at the dinner table."

Cain started forward as if Jeb had told him DG's dress was on fire and snatched the fedora off his head. He stuffed it under his chair some place and glared at his kid. "Since when did you know so much about proper behavior?"

Jeb let his shoulders relax and crossed his arms. "Well, you for one. And one of the King's men, Tutor, has been teaching me a thing or two. I think I'm getting to like palace life. Maybe I'll be a royal guard or something."

Cain couldn't hide the pride in his eyes, though he tried not to fill Jeb up with too many delusions of grandeur. He didn't want to spoil the kid after all. "Not a bad idea. It's a rough job. Glitch can tell you, he was the Queen's advisor for a long time, right Glitch?"

Glitch looked up from his thirty minute battle over who would win a fight on his dinner-dish, his carrots or his popi fruit. "Hm? Did you say something?"

Cain nodded toward Jeb. "He's thinking of being a royal guardsman. What do you think?"

Glitch's eyes brightened. "Oh, a spectacular idea, the King could really use you, I would think. The pay is all right for now, you'd be entering as a sergeant considering your skills so far, but I'm sure it wouldn't be long at all before you superseded everyone else in your company!"

Cain blinked a few times in surprise he'd gotten so eloquent an answer, but then remembered he was working with two sides of Glitch's brain now. Brain surgery wasn't terribly accurate, however. He stilled glitched out on them once in a while. And the Queen was positive he was not the same Ambrose she remembered. For this reason, though she offered him his former position, he declined it. He was much happier being the Princess's advisor. Namely, DG.

"If you want to join up," Ahamo said from the end of the table, having overheard the conversation, "I do have a commission I can give you. I think you would do quite marvelously despite being young."

Jeb smiled, stood and bowed as he thanked him repeatedly then sat with his head swimming full of ideas for the future.

Raw, for his part, was enjoying the company of his own kind, now released from their prison. They shared a table beside the Queen's speaking pleasantly over everything and nothing. They were now the royal's official seers. A group who took over most of Ambrose's old tasks and became a sort of Council for the King and Queen. DG was only too happy to have her friend close by the way Glitch and now Jeb were. But lastly that left Cain.

"What are you going to do, Cain?" DG asked him near the end of the banquet. The party had finely wound down. The overly drunk were passed out on random tables. The servers were working on removing what was left of the food, plates and cups. Glitch was asleep on Jeb's shoulder and Jeb was half way though finishing his Pappay Pie, the other half his snoring head was face down in.

Cain was taking in the sight, focusing on his overwhelmed stomach and thinking. He missed DG speaking to him.

"Cain?"

He looked over. "Oh, yes?"

"What do you think you're going to do now? Without the witch and all?" she seemed surprisingly awake, he thought, after the time she had dancing and actually setting her dress on fire with a candle stick.

"Well," he thought, trying to un-fog his mind, "I did leave Zero in that suit. I suppose I should go get him eventually. There are an awful lot of long coats still out there Deeg. And any one of them would not mind an assassination attempt. And if they find Zero, he's organized enough to lead them."

She nodded, supposing it made sense. "Can I come with you? When you get him?"

He chuckled slightly.

"Oh come on!" she punched his arm playfully. "I've been dragged through worse. Had worse people try and fry me. We could take Jeb, and Glitch and Raw and have a real final adventure out of it. What do you say?"

"It's only a few miles away. How much of adventure will it be?" he tried to reason.

"It'll be fun. All of us together. And you said, it's for the good of the kingdom. I, as your Princess, order it."

He sighed. "Yeah, yeah. All right. You can come. We'll ask fuzzy and zipper head in the morning, or tomorrow night, whichever finds them both conscious."

She threw her arms around his neck with a smile. "Thank you! Besides, how dangerous could it be?"

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that's all for now! please review!!


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Cain sucked in a breath, hoping to steady his shaky body. He wasn't sure if he had breathed at all before that moment and suddenly panicked a little. His chest was weighed down with pain, kicked, beaten in, and battered he wasn't sure where he was anymore. He remembered being moved, dropped, and moved again. He remembered being shot, or shooting someone, and the sound of hooves.

He sucked in another breath and a fresh set of agony encompassed him. He wasn't ready for it and his exhale held a silent cry or groan. Everything hurt. His mind hurt, his legs his chest . . .his chest . . .

He rolled over from his back to his front, sitting up on his palms enough to safely heave without getting any of his stomach contents on himself. Precious little came out, reminding him he hadn't eaten in what? Days? A sharp fire burned down his right arm and he collapsed on it, crying again some.

Shot. He was shot. That was right.

He breathed again.

Shot by one of the long coats, Dirk or Clout. Zero had beaten the trash out of him. Again. He should be used to it by now, but each time it hurt a little worse. This is the second time he shot him too, the little devil.

He breathed, holding it low in his lungs a moment before rapidly letting it go. He wasn't coughing. His lungs were ok. He had to stop thinking about breathing, just let his subconscious take control of it again. It was hard, he was worried he might be dying. This much pain he must be doing something.

His body shook and rolled. His right arm hit something and he bit back the trembling wave that took over him. He was shot in the shoulder. His right shoulder. He reached his left hand to it, feeling around in the total darkness to probe at it. He felt blood, dried and some new oozing out of a tender circle just under his clavicle. Without seeing it he knew it was red and inflamed. He carefully reached to the back feeling around for someplace the bullet could have come out of. He didn't find anything. No wound, no new blood. The bullet was still in him someplace.

Figures, the little thing was probably wreaking havoc. He wondered if that's where his fever came from. Or if he was just sick. He remembered feeling cold. Damp. He felt that way now, actually. He rolled again, unwillingly and felt his body hit the side of whatever box he must be in. He hadn't a clue where he may be. None whatsoever. He reached up, felt around with his left hand to try and get his bearings. It felt like a box. The ceiling was three feet away. He had to sit up and reach to find it. It was spacious, as long as he was and half as wide. The box jostled again and he landed hard on his back, wincing with a carefully chosen curse.

He felt his shoulder again and deemed it was bleeding too much. He was light-headed, which was never a good sign when one is bleeding. He tried to remember what he might still be wearing in order to rip it up for a bandage. In the end he took his sleeve, or what he thought was his sleeve, he couldn't be sure in the dark if he was wearing his own clothes or not.

Shoulder wounds were notoriously hard to wrap, even with someone to help. So doing it on his own was going to be some sort of challenge. In the end he just balled his cloth up and packed it into the gunshot, wincing a few times and crying out once in distress before he balled his fist against it and held his hand there. Ten minutes, and the bleeding should go down, or stop if he was lucky. If not, it hit something important and he may just die from it.

A heavy serious of thumps echoed around him.

"Hey, shut up back there, you!"

Clout. That was definitely Clout. So he was alive. Somewhere. They were taking him somewhere. That's never a good sign either.

He remembered hearing hooves. They must have him in a carriage or something. Or a car with horses riding next to it. If he found the door they used to get him in there, he might be able to get out through it too.

He crawled on hand and knees, feeling for the ends of his box prison. He found the first short wall and probed around to try and find a latch or a seem. The cabin rocked violently and he fell forward, bashing into the wall before sliding back and hitting the floor. He heard a colossal bang and the cabin rocked again. Gun shots sounded in every direction, muffled by the walls.

The company must have been felled upon. Maybe he would be rescued.

"Help!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. "Jeb! DG! Help!" he booted the wall loudly, kicking with all his might. Clout shouted for him to shut up, but he refused to listen. He had to be rescued. Who knew what Zero was planning for him in that sick twisted little mind.

"Help! It's Cain! I'm in here!" He kicked again and was answered with a string of bullet holes piercing the cabin wall. He ducked and rolled, flattening himself against the floor until the bullets found some other more interesting target. When he felt it may be safe, Cain struggled up and looked out.

It was the Resistance. One of the companies Jeb had worked with. There weren't many though. If Zero had all his men it would be a no contest fight. If only one could get close enough to open his door, maybe he'd have enough strength to make a run for it on his own, or steal one of the horses the long coats were on.

"Help! Hey, in here! I'm in here!"

A bullet sailed by his head, and for a moment he thought he was dead for sure. To his surprise, it simply grazed him.

"I said, shut up in there, you!" Clout shouted.

"Get the wagon out of here!" Zero ordered from somewhere.

Two Resistance men were gunned down.

Cain pounded on the wall in frustration and utter helplessness. "The door! Shoot the door! Someone get the door! I'm inside! It's Cain!"

Two long coats went down in front of him, and suddenly three resistance members were at the side of the wagon.

"Cain? Wyatt Cain?" One of them called up as the other two covered him.

"That's right! Get me out of here!" Cain replied desperately.

"Hold On! We'll get you out!" the man shouted back, then to the others. "It's Cain—" His body flew back, hitting the cabin with a dull thud as his blood splattered across the bullet holes.

Cain was visibly shaken. At once he knew the man was dead, wished he could have saved him, but also he was scared to death he might be left there, still in the long coats' clutches. If word got out the coats' had him, they wouldn't keep him around very long. He needed a rescue and he needed it now.

"Shoot the driver!" He called down to the remaining men beside his cabin. "Stop the truck!"

"Shoot the driver!" one relayed to the other men in the woods.

Suddenly the gunfire shifted to riddling the front of the vehicle.

Cain heard hooves, horses screaming, and the sound of a riffle close by. The two men below him were now dead. The brown body of a horse blocked his view a moment before suddenly the cabin was bathed in blinding light.

A figure stood in the door way holding a gun.

I know i'm being evil, but that was a bloody good ending don't you think? Check for updates soon! keep reviewing!!


	5. Chapter 4

Hey, thanks for the feedback so far, but I would LOVE some more!!

Chapter 4

"It's too bad Raw couldn't join us, I know he could use some fresh air." Glitch said to no one in particular. He looked around him, to see who may respond before he realized he wasn't near anyone. He had fallen almost ten lengths behind the rest of the party. He muttered a surprised "Oh, my!" and urged his horse forward to catch up. Once nestled between DG and Cain again, he repeated his previous statement.

"Ah, let the fur ball rest a bit. First time he's seen his home town and family out of a cell in twelve annuals." Cain replied nonchalantly. Somehow his heart didn't pull to think of his own family. He felt nothing. And that made him smile a little. "Besides, mission like this, he might end up more in the way."

"Oh, you don't know that for sure." DG responded. "He's saved your hide more than once."

Cain gave her an unconvinced look. "When?"

"What about the time you were bit by the Papay?" She came swiftly with.

Cain opened his mouth but found his initial reply had no weight to it. "Well, that, I think is your fault. And fuzzy's. I told you not to let him out, and you did. And he shouldn't have gotten himself almost corpsified either."

"Then he helped you when the long coat shot you, during the eclipse." Glitch added.

Cain heaved a sigh. "Fine, fine, whatever. So the guy useful. I don't imagine we're going to run into much trouble here. And if we do, no one is getting shot, bitten, or otherwise maimed, all right?"

Jeb nodded in agreement and laughed. "Sure father, you plan it and we'll make it happen. That means if you don't die, we're not taking you back with us!"

DG laughed and Cain blushed. Glitch wasn't sure of the joke, so he did nothing.

"We're already here, so it doesn't matter either way to begin with. Let's just grab slimy and get out of here." Jeb said, pulling his horse to a stop and getting down.

"Hang on a sec."

Jeb looked up at Cain.

Cain released a slow breath, as if he was steadying himself for something, like getting a limb blown off. "Look, Jeb, stay here with these two. I'll get him."

"But, father—"

"Please?"

Jeb was silenced real quick with that little word. It was the first time he heard it in he couldn't say how long. With that he knew his father was serious. Maybe he was planning on shooting Zero the whole time. Maybe that's why he wanted to go. Not that Jeb had much to say against it, he just felt sorry he couldn't be there to see it. He nodded his head and Wyatt dismounted and handed him his reigns.

Cain walked on down the path, alone, to retrieve Zero.

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now . . .review . . . please!!


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Get out!" the figure yelled. Zero. It was Zero's voice.

Cain didn't move.

A warning shot almost took off his ear.

"Out!" Zero came forward, bent at the waist and dragged the kicking Cain out of the cabin by his vest. The man spilled out onto the ground, exploding with a fresh wave of new pain. Zero held little sympathy. He hauled Cain onto the saddle of a horse, lashing his wrists to the horn. He then mounted his own and the two took off.

Cain's eyes were blinded with the piercing white light of the afternoon. He couldn't see the Resistance fighters. He didn't know if the long coats were dead. He could hear nothing over the thump of hooves and the blood pulsing through his shot arteries. He was bleeding again. His shirt cloth was lost somewhere. Maybe when he was dragged out of the cabin.

It was precious minutes before he could slowly begin to open his eyes, get his bearings. He heard the horse's hooves pounding against a stone bridge, the echo of a canyon below. Where was Zero taking him?

His eyes blinked open, and he realized Dirk and Clout where there, riding right alongside him. They were heading through a forest, now a clearing. He couldn't tell where, everything looked the same now. He wanted to reach up, check his now a flame shoulder, but he didn't have the strength to pull his hands from the binds that held them down.

"Surprised I'm still alive , here Zero. You getting soft at all?" Cain asked him.

Zero looked at him and flashed a disturbing grin. "I got something worse planned for you, Cain. Don't you worry."

Cain could only silently wonder what that may be. He thought the Iron Maiden was bad. He'd kill to not go back in. And Zero knew that.

He was bringing Cain home.

Wyatt recognized the path now. They'd hit the fields of the Papay in no time. He was going to lock Cain up in the same tin as last time. The beating he got, the state he was in, that projector of his wife's and son's beating. Everything would be there again. He'd be locked in. And this time Zero would make sure it was for good.

Cain had to get away. He couldn't get himself locked in there. He racked his mind for ways to escape. What could he do? There must be something!

He pulled at his binds incessantly, causing no more then a tear at his shoulder and a rifle smack from Dirk. He fell forward onto his horse's neck, groaning in the pain. Kings and Queens, there had to be something he could do!

Zero was running the horses at break neck speed. The next leg would run them through the Fields of the Papay. Zero would lead them down the outskirts. Beyond that was home.

**_What about the time you were bit by the Papay?_**

His memory flashed through his mind like a hot wave. There was a cliff at the ledge of the territory. He survived the jump once before. He'd jump, or fall from the horse and pray his binds broke in the process. If not, he'd be dragged the rest of the way home. We figured Zero wouldn't exactly stop to put him back on the horse.

It had to work.

But it was going to be rocky. He just hoped his body could hold up for it.

The Papay were nowhere to be found. With the trees blooming they were scarce like they used to be. For once Cain was not pleased by it.

The cliff was coming. Cain had to be ready for it. He loosened his right foot from his stirrup, then his left. Dirk was riding directly beside him. He had to slow his own horse down so Dirk would pass him, but how?

With a silent apology on his lips, he grabbed tightly onto what part of his horse's mane he could reach. He then leaned forward and kicked his heels far up on the front of his horse so it wasn't mistaken for the **_go_** command.

The beast pulled back his reins from Zero, unsure what was going on. He reared and kicked his front hooves wildly. Cain's lrft hand slipped from his binds and without his feet in his stirrups he nearly fell right under the horse. He needed to get his second hand free.

Dirk's horse spooked as Cain's went up. The long coat pulled back, perilously closer to the rock face.

"Watch out!" Clout exclaimed only seconds too late.

The rocks below him shook free. He and the horse fell back over the cliff.

Cain ripped his hand free and as his horse went down, he leaped over his side. And as Zero managed to drawl a gun, Cain was falling off the cliff.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Cain struggled within himself, wondering what he was even doing there in the first place. What was the point of it? He wanted to leave Zero there, and he knew it. He wanted the man to rot in that prison for the rest of his life and not like it. He wanted to wake up each morning knowing that Zero was suffering somewhere quiet and alone. But he couldn't do it. What would that say to Jeb? That murder was acceptable? That everything Zero did to them was acceptable since Cain did it back? He knew it wasn't possible. It wouldn't happen. So there he was, in the middle of the woods, dragging Zero, of all people, out of a sure grave. Saving him.

God he wanted to throw up.

Some trip through the woods this turned out to be. Not that he minded spending the extra time with his son, Dg, Glitch . . . but now that the road had come to a finish, he made the discovery he was going to have to ride, the entire way back, with Zero. Cain didn't even bring an extra horse. He was going to make him walk. Gag him and make him walk.

He waited until he was out of the view of the others before his knees threatened to give out. He braced himself on a tree to keep from falling. Everything was coming back to him. The day his wife was beaten before him. His son suffering for his own treachery against Azkadellia, or the old witch rather. And he was saving Zero. The bloody creep better appreciate this. Or at least give Cain a reason to kill him.

He pushed off of the tree, trying to settle his stomach. He approached the Iron Maiden, drawling his gun to shoot off the lock.

It was then he noticed something he hadn't before. The lock was missing.

More bedazzled then concerned, he walked closer. It never occurred to him that Zero could be loose. He hadn't the slightest idea that the men were just behind him. He didn't know a thing until in the reflection of the Maiden's window he saw the tuffs of blond hair, behind him.

Cain whipped around only to receive a fist in his jaw. The shock sent him to the ground.

A boot crossed his face and his mind was a faze of nothing. He saw stars, a slew of them swirling in his head and blocking his vision. Another kick sucked the breath out of him.

His eyes finely opened, and he saw him. Zero. Zero and five other long coats. They were watching him. They had freed Zero.

"DG!" he screamed.

Cain saw the gun, felt the heat, and lost consciousness.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Cain thought he was dead. It wasn't the first time the last couple days, or weeks. He wasn't sure which. A pain ebbed from his chest, and he was reminded he was indeed alive. He felt wet and it took a few moments to realize why. He pulled himself up, sputtering the water out of his lungs He was at the river bank, just as before. He heard a distant whinny and his head lifted. A horse was standing at the bank, its saddle disheveled and rider less. It took a moment for Cain to remember why.

Dirk had gone over the cliff with him.

He coughed again, almost retching with the force of it. He rolled to his back, not even bothering to pull himself out of the lake totally. He needed this quiet moment. In all he had been through he had this one, peaceful time. His body felt ill. His fever had gotten worse. He was sure he was sweaty and wet at the same time. He had to get the bullet out. He was too far gone to do it himself. He needed to get to Central City, the palace. Either would do for now. And this time he had a horse too. He sat up, slowly and cumbersome. He didn't need to rush now. It would take Zero forever to get off that ledge to him.

He stood on his unsteady feet, whistling to the horse.

Its ears perked forward. His head turned, considering Cain a moment. It never occurred to Cain he might spook the animal off and he'd be left walking. He knew he wouldn't make the trip. It was too far of a walk in his state.

Boy he sure was missing Raw right about now.

"Now, it's all right, bud. Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you." Cain said softly, approaching the horse with his good hand outstretched by way of friendship.

He didn't expect someone to nail him across the back with a tree limb. Least of all, Dirk.

Cain rolled to the side as another blow hit next to him. He kicked a leg out and Dirk dropped beside him. He kicked down against the long coat's chest and gained his feet. If he got on the horse he could ride off.

Dirk tackled him to the ground, drilling him face down into a puddle. Cain struggled against him. He fought and kicked and swung out wildly. He wasn't going down, not like this. Not to some petty long coat. He shoved his bad elbow back, regretting it instantly, but it did the trick. He swung out with his good arm, catching Dirk across the jaw. The man fell back and this time, he didn't get up.

Before his adrenaline wore out, Cain grabbed the horse's reigns and pulled himself up. He headed at a slow lope for the Palace.

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PLEASE REVIEW, thanks everyone who are really getting into this story, it means a lot!!


	9. Chapter 8

check the review page for a note from the author!

Chapter 8

"DG? Your majesty? Glitch?" Cain hadn't been in the castle an hour and he had yet to see a single soul. Not a guard. Not a scruffy civilian friend of Ahamo. Nothing. No one. Cain paused, leaning on a banister as he tried to catch a breath. He couldn't keep going like this. Some time or other he was going to drop and not get up. And if no one was there, he might just die on the floor.

"Come on, Deeg, where are you." He whimpered, hardly making a sound.

He pushed off, stumbling a step before straightening out and heading forward again. He couldn't go much farther. He had to pick a spot and go for it. Where would someone be? In the whole of the empty kingdom, where would he find DG?

The balcony.

He started for that. In the meantime he concentrated on staying awake. Upright and awake. If he passed out now, that was it for him.

Where in the stars was everyone?

"Cain!"

His body filled with relief. "DG, finely. Where is everyone? Are you ok?"

DG stepped away from him. Her head shook furiously. "Cain, don't. Just run!"

Cain's mind was swimming. He couldn't understand her words. All he could think of was his happiness in seeing her. He stepped closer. She was shouting at him. Jeb was there, Glitch, the Queen, Ahamo and Az. They were sitting, looking at him. He wasn't sure why. But they were there. And he was happy. He could pass out, finely. They would take care of him. He was done.

"Cain, no!" DG shouted.

He felt a stiff grip across his neck. He felt a hot breath on his neck. His spine crawled. Those words. That voice. It couldn't be.

"Should have listened to your little princess, Cain." The voice, like venom whispered in his ear.

A hand went forward, it held his gun in it. Zero was aiming it at DG. "Which one first, Cain? The girl?" now it was on his son. "The kid? Ah, heck, Cain how about the Queen just for kicks?"

The gun went off just as the Tin Man shoved Zero's hand sky ward. He elbowed him in the gut, booted his instep and turned and socked him across the jaw. Zero came back with the gun and Cain's face took another hit. He stepped forward and chopped Zero's throat. In the moment he was stunned Cain wrestled the gun away from him.

Clout, apparently waiting for his chance sprang out now with weapon drawn. Cain fired the first shot between his eyes.

Zero drove a steal-knuckled fist through Cain's kidney. The Tin Man gasped and crumbled, gun still in hand.

DG was crying, Jeb was screaming his name.

Would it really happen? Now? Was he finely ready for it after these insane days of pure Hell?

"Well, Cain. It's been fun, hasn't it? All the time we've spent together. This fun little feud, sucks that it will finely be over." He pulled his own pistol out, leveling it on the back of Cain's head. "Got to tell you though. I'm glad its over. First you, then your kid. Then maybe I'll finely get my own crack at running this broken world myself." He smiled. "Nice knowing you, Wyatt Cain."

Zero never saw the shot coming. Cain fell backwards towards Zero, his back crashing against Zero's legs. It was as if the stressed finely killed him. He just collapsed.Zero flinched, his mind flaring with the idea he may be robbed the exectuion he'd always hoped for.

This small pause. This tiny moment, glitch, in time was all Cain needed to get off the shot. The bullet went straight up through Zero's chin, exploding through the top of his head. For a long time Zero didn't fall. His body was frozen in place, as if the shock of the hit had turned him to stone. At long last he dropped over, falling near soundlessly to the ceramic floor.

Cain was down. For good this time. There was no way for him to spur himself up one last time. He was finished. His body torn and battered. He wasn't getting up. This time, DG had to save his can.

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well, just one chapter left!!


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Oh get off, please. Come one, just . . .No! I'm not . . . I'm not getting ice cream."

Glitch had to bite his lip to prevent from laughing. Cain had really lost his mind the last few days he'd been sick. He'd been talking about everything from ice cream, to pretty ladies, to the mystic man, vapers, Papay, a need to pee and of course Zero. All was mere babble due to the state of his fever which had subsided considerably by last night. Raw was still off in parts unknown so Cain was dealt the card of recovering alone, or not.

Glitch had to admit, he was very worried when he saw Cain walk onto that balcony. The state he was in, the smile he gave. He was sure Cain had died right there in front of them all. Jeb was sure to when he scrambled forward to try and embrace his father with his hands bound. DG was too afraid to check if he was still alive. Ahamo finely did so, and was surprised to find that faint pulse.

DG had waited most of the time up with him but eventually she to had to succumb to her tiredness. She was asleep in the next room with her sister.

And there Glitch was, awake, by himself and waiting to see if Cain would get up too. It all reminded him of something. Something cold. And maybe with a fire and a horse. He shrugged, unable to remember.

"Glitch?"

"Yes?" he replied.

"You there, Glitch?"

"Right-o I'm here, but who's asking?"

"What?"

Glitch looked down. He suddenly realized what was going on. And that it was something important he had to tell someone. But he didn't know who or what was so important. "Good morning, Cain!"

"Oh, no bright and happy, please." Cain replied. He groaned some, adjusting in the midst of blankets. He hurt . . . everywhere. This was it. This morning, if it was a morning, was the worst in his life. Well, maybe not in his life. It was the worst physical state in his life. That sounded somehow better, but it didn't seem to help his mood the way he planned it would. "Where am I? When is it? What happened to Zero?"

"You don't remember? Man, and you say I have a loose noggin!"

"Glitch—" Wyatt drew warningly.

"Fine, fine. You're at the palace, Zero is dead, and DG wants to know when you wake up." Glitch took a moment then realized what he had said. Suddenly he shot up and rushed from the room. He reemerged with DG and Az in tow.

"Oh, Cain you're okay!" DG exclaimed happily, snaking her arms around his neck. "I was afraid you'd never wake up! I couldn't stop crying!" She pulled away and smacked him. "Don't you ever do that to me! I was going crazy worrying about you! Those long coats kept saying you were dead, and I didn't know what to think. When Zero showed up I was sure I lost you and . . .and . . .gosh I could just hurt you!" she smacked his chest again.

Cain turned white with each hit, too overwhelmed to reply. When she realized what she had done, DG swiftly apologized more times then she should have.

Jeb was in the room now, sitting at his father side, and barely containing his increasing joy at seeing his father in better health.

"All right, that's it on adventures for a little while, ok?" Az said, her arms crossing with finality as she stared her sister down.

"Yeah, Deeg, cause your adventures have a way of getting me into a world of trouble." Cain added.

DG wanted nothing more then to hit him again, but she did nothing instead. She shrugged her shoulders, blaming this one on Cain's own personal ambition. Cain blamed Zero, Jeb blamed Zero, Glitch blamed himself (for he didn't want to make anyone feel bad) and Az just laughed. The lot pulled up spare spots of the expansive bed and watched Cain rest peacefully for once. until...

"Hey, Deeg, where's my hat?"

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the end!! Review and tell me what you thought!!


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